Verbena plant named ‘Suntapilavepi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Suntapilavepi’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and decumbent plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; light red purple-colored flowers; freely and continuous flowering habit; long-lasting flowers; non-fertile flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Verbena×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Suntapilavepi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Suntapilavepi.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new Verbena cultivars with attractive flowercoloration.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin March, 1999 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection ofVerbena sp. identified as code T86-99-2, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena×hybrida identifiedas code number T85-99-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Verbena was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings atHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2001, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Suntapilavepi have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light level without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Suntapilavepi’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Suntapilavepi’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Verbena:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and decumbent plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Light red purple-colored flowers.    -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   5. Long-lasting flowers.    -   6. Non-fertile flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter lateral branches than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection        differed in petal coloration as plants of the female parent        selection had purplish white-colored petals.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter lateral branches than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection        differed in petal coloration as plants of the male parent        selection had light blue-colored petals.

Plants of the new Verbena can also be compared to plants of the Verbenacultivar Sunmaref TP-L, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,121. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Sunmaref TP-L inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were smaller than plants of the        cultivar Sunmaref TP-L.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants        of the cultivar Sunmaref TP-L.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had larger leaves than plants of        the cultivar Sunmaref TP-L.    -   4. Plants of the new Verbena had taller inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Sunmaref TP-L.    -   5. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Sunmaref TP-L        differed in petal coloration as plants of the cultivar Sunmaref        TP-L had purple violet-colored petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Suntapilavepi’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Suntapilavepi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan during the spring andsummer in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices.Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were about four months oldwhen the photographs and description were taken. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperaturesaveraged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time in the early spring. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida cultivar Suntapilavepi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Verbena×hybrida identified as code T86-99-2, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Verbena×hybrida identified as code T85-99-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 15 to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About one month at 15 to 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; ivory to pale brown            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Outwardly spreading and decumbent plant            habit; broadly inverted triangle; vigorous growth habit.            Freely branching habit with short internodes, dense and            bushy growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 11.8 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 mm. Internode length: About 3.1 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 2.9 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm. Shape: Broadly            angular-ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Deeply            pinnately parted. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color:            Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 137B;            venation, similar to lamina. Developing and fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: 138B; venation, similar to lamina.            Petiole: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single, star-shaped salverform flowers            arranged in terminal corymbs; flowers face mostly upright.            Freely flowering habit with about 15 open flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from April            to November in Japan. Flowers not persistent.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Long-lasting; flowers last about            one week on the plant.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Shape: Cylindrical. Color: 73A.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Depth: About 1.4 cm. Tube            diameter: About 1.5 mm. Tube length: About 1.1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 6.5 cm. Lobe width: About 6.4 mm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly            flat. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: Developing and fully expanded petals, upper            surface: N66D. Developing and fully expanded petals, lower            surface: 75B. Throat: Close to N66D. Tube: N77D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused; narrow tubular calyx. Length: About 9 mm.            Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            immature, upper and lower surfaces: 144B. Color, mature,            upper and lower surfaces: 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.            Anther color: 150A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            1B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Typically one. Pistil            length: About 1.5 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 144A. Style length: About 1.3 cm. Style color:            Close to 144B. Ovary color: 144B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    noted to be resistant to specific pathogens and pests common to    Verbena.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and tolerated    temperatures from 0 to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Suntapilavepi’,as illustrated and described.